Freelancing, One Year Later

To celebrate my first anniversary as a freelancer, I took a twelve-day trip to the Caribbean coast of Mexico. It was important for me to do something to recognize how far I’ve come since embarking on this journey and to be proud of every small success that’s laid the groundwork for the path I’m on.

To be clear, it wasn’t a vacation, but more of a working getaway. With all this talk of digital nomadism, it was a way for me to get a taste of what that could actually be like. While I used to see work as an entity of its own, completely separate from the more intimate areas of my personal life, I now understand that it doesn’t have to be this way — I can share my skills, connect with others, contribute and support a cause all the while being surrounded by the people I intentionally choose (and receive in return). I can even do that while waking up to majestic palm trees, the sights, sounds, and smell of the ocean, topped with an abundance of sunshine and smiles.

– Say what now?

Living life moving back and forth between different compartments is exhausting. My goal isn’t to live in luxury — what matters most is the quality of the spaces and the people. What I’m leaning into are more opportunities for creative expression, collaboration, and skill sharing with those who share a similar worldview; people who have a message and want to put it out into the world.

Integration. I suppose what I’m moving towards is more integration in how I see and approach life. Where can barriers be brought down to allow for more overlap? How can I bring a greater sense of peace into this process of shifting and re-orienting?